Dr. Shokoohi said having a good bedside manner is especially important in treating GI patients, who often suffer embarrassing symptoms.

"Communication and trust between the physician and patient are the most important things," Dr. Shokoohi said. "I try to put my patients at ease. I make sure I listen to them in a nonjudgmental way, with a smile, open ear and relaxing manner."

Dr. Shokoohi earned her medical degree from Wake Forest School of Medicine. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Oregon Health & Science University and a fellowship in gastroenterology/hepatology at Rush University Medical Center.

Dr. Shokoohi is an assistant professor in the department of medicine of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. She is board certified in internal medicine and board eligible in gastroenterology.

Loyola Medicine's division of gastroenterology provides comprehensive, high-quality care in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal system. Each year, the division performs about 8,500 procedures and conducts about 13,000 inpatient and outpatient visits. Loyola is ranked 37th in the country in gastroenterology and GI surgery by U.S. News & World Report.

About Trinity Health

Trinity Health is one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation, serving diverse communities that include more than 30 million people across 22 states. Trinity Health includes 93 hospitals, as well as 122 continuing care programs that include PACE, senior living facilities, and home care and hospice services. Its continuing care programs provide nearly 2.5 million visits annually. Based in Livonia, Mich., and with annual operating revenues of $17.6 billion and assets of $23.4 billion, the organization returns $1.1 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. Trinity Health employs about 131,000 colleagues, including 7,500 employed physicians and clinicians. Committed to those who are poor and underserved in its communities, Trinity Health is known for its focus on the country's aging population. As a single, unified ministry, the organization is the innovator of Senior Emergency Departments, the largest not-for-profit provider of home health care services — ranked by number of visits — in the nation, as well as the nation’s leading provider of PACE (Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly) based on the number of available programs. For more information, visit www.trinity-health.org. You can also follow @TrinityHealthMI on Twitter.